There's a 3 week hiatus. This means that I'm showing withdrawal symptons, which means time for a new story!
Set right after the ending of 2x12. Rumplestilstkin has demanded Emma to come with him to find his son, but Emma can't and will not leave Henry again. What will she do?
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything, just this profile :)
There's a loud knock on the door of the apartment.
Emma, Henry, Charming and Snow all look up in surprise from their position in the kitchen.
With a questioning gaze, Emma walks towards the door to open it. She isn't even halfway when the door swings wide-open and a tense-looking Rumplestiltskin is entering the loft. ''Gold,'' she sighs. ''We all had a long night.''
'''Do you remember that favor you owe me Miss Swan? I'm cashing it in.''
Worried, Charming walks towards his daughter.
''It's not a good…'' says Emma.
Rumplestiltskin points a finger at her. ''You do honor your agreements don't you?''
Henry has joined Emma and Charming as well.
''I need to find someone, so we're leaving today. Pack a back.''
''Leaving?!'' asks Snow in bewilderment.
''Where?'' inquires Henry with a little tremor in his voice.
''Find someone? Who?'' continues Emma.
''My son. It has to be today, because every minute I'm here, is a minute closer to me killing Hook. So it's best for everyone that I leave.'' He points his finger again to Emma. ''And you, are coming with me.'' He then looks at the others. ''We've a long history. Know this, and know it to be true. If any harm comes to Belle when I'm gone, I'm killing all of you.'' When he's stating the last part of that sentence, he explicitly looks at Henry. His attention shifts to Emma again. ''I'll see you at noon.'' He turns around and leaves the apartment.
Emma holds Henry protectively.
Charming places a reassuring hand on his daughter's back.
''You can't go! You can't leave me again!'' Cries Henry. Terror is clearly reflected in his eyes.
Emma kneels down to come to an equal level with her son. Her hands enfold his arms. ''Henry listen to me, I'm not leaving you, not again.'' Her voice is soft, soothing. ''Mr Gold can ask whatever he wants from me, but he can't ask me to leave you.''
''But he'll kill us!'' the boy's voice modulates to a higher tone.
''No he won't.'' Charming kneels down next to his daughter to face his grandson. ''You know why? Because he first will have to come through us. And we're strong, as a family. We will stop him.''
Snow is still standing in front of the door. A desperate expression covers her face.
Both Charming and Emma see it.
Henry is standing with his back turned to his grandmother and doesn't notice. ''You promise you won't go?'' he asks Emma.
''I promise. Get dressed now, you need to get ready for school.''
''Ok.'' The boy casts a last worrying look at his mother before he runs up the stairs.
''Emma…'' starts Snow softly.
''Yeah?''
''You know we can't go up against Rumplestiltksin,'' her mother tries.
''I know, but what the hell do you expect me to do? To just drop everything here and leave, without Henry? That is so not going to happen, not in a thousand years.''
Tears well up in Snow's eyes. Why does this always have to happen? Is there than no way that they all can be together, live 'happily ever after?' Why is it that always when they find each other, something happens that rips them apart again?
Charming gently rubs his wife's back and presses a soft kiss against her temple. He knows exactly what is going through her head right now. He knows it, because he thinks precisely the same. But he knows that he has to stay strong for his wife and for his daughter. He can't afford to have a breakdown right now.
Frustration is reflected in Emma's eyes. She throws her hands up in the air. ''I don't know what to do! Can't we come up with some kind of magical plan or something?''
''There is no time Emma,'' replies Charming. ''Gold asked you to leave in a few hours, that is not nearly enough time to come up with a plan.''
''Than there is no other way.'' Emma suddenly looks determined. Her eyes go from her father to her mother. ''Whether Rumplestiltksin likes it or not, Henry comes with me.''
''Are you sure?'' asks Charming questioningly.
''Yeah, I guess I've never been more sure of anything in my life than this,'' answers Emma. ''If there's nothing that we can do, I see this as the only solution. There is just no way I will leave him again.''
Snow and Charming understand completely. Being without your child is unbearable and with what they all have experienced it's even more difficult to be away. On the other hand, they also understand that this means that Emma and Henry both will be away, God might know for how long.
Emma sighs. ''I'll go tell Henry and pack our bags.'' She turns around and walks up the stairs.
She leaves Charming and Snow in uncertainty.
''Can't we go with them?'' asks Snow almost begging.
Charming grabs both of her hands. ''We need to stay here Snow. When Emma and Rumplestiltskin are away we have to find Cora and stop her. We also need to keep an eye on Hook and protect Belle.''
''Can't someone else do all of that?'' It's her desperation that has taken the upper hand. But a little voice in the back of her mind tells her that there is no other way, that she must accept it.
Charming pulls her closer. He let his fingers run up and down her arms. ''We've to keep faith. That's what I had when you and Emma were away and that worked out didn't?''
''You found me…'' says Snow softly. She drowns into Charming's eyes.
''No, you found me remember?'' grins Charming.
A little sparkle lights up in Snow's eyes. ''We've found each other.''
Their heads come closer to each other. Charming gently brushes a strand of hair away from her face.
Tears finally run over Snow's face. All the pain, frustration and grief that has been piling up for years, finally find their way out. She always managed to stay strong, to stand above it all, but the idea of her daughter and grandson leaving them again - even though it might only be for a little while - reflects all the similar events that have happened over the years. She starts to shiver and in between her sobs she manages: ''Not again Charming, not again!''
''It's ok, I'm here, you can let it out.'' Gently he takes her into his strong arms and holds her until the sobbing and shivering stops. He kisses the tears away that have found their way down to her chin.
This movement puts some sort of spell on Snow. Her body freezes and she closes her eyes.
His mouth find its way down to hers. He presses a gentle kiss on her soft lips and waits for her permission to go further.
Slowly, Snow opens her mouth and allows Charming to deepen the kiss.
They're both captured in the moment. Their relationship is so strong and pure that speaking is unrequired. Without saying a single word, they know what the other feels. This kiss is not out of passion, but out of love, true love.
Suddenly the two are ripped out of the moment by a loud bang coming from up the stairs. Merely a second later, a suitcase comes tumbling down until it comes to a hold on the third step.
''Henry!'' cries Emma to her son.
''Sorry!'' answers Henry. ''It just slipped right out of my hands.''
Charming uses the palm of his hand to stroke the remaining tears from his wife's face. He shows her a sweet smile. ''It's going to be all right.''
Mother and son come stamping down the stairs, both with a backpack, and Emma with her suitcase.
Charming quickly gets Henry's suitcase from the third step to unblock the way for his daughter and grandson.
Emma sees in her mother's eyes that she's hurt, but she decides to not go into it right now, for Henry's sake.
''Got everything?'' asks Snow to Henry.
''Yep, I guess.''
''No you haven't, says his grandfather secretive. He opens a closet and takes out a small stack of comic books which he gives to Henry.
''Wow, Captain America, that's so cool!'' he cries out when he looks at the covers.
''For the road. I thought you might like it. I wanted to give it to you for your birthday coming up, but I believe this is a better moment for you to have it.''
''Thanks gramps, I love it!'' cries Henry again as he gives his grandfather a big hug.
''It's also from Snow,'' says Charming, knowing that a hug from her grandson will brighten her mood a bit.
Snow thankfully smiles at her husband.
''Thanks grams!'' Henry immediately runs over to his grandmother to also give her a tender hug.
Snow finds it hard to let him go. ''You're more than welcome sweety,'' she says as she keeps on holding onto him.
''Snow, give the boy some air,'' Charming grins as he looks at the affectionate sight.
Snow lets go.
''Thanks David and Mary for the comic books,'' says Emma as she manages a smile. She's nervous about her and Henry going with Mr Gold. The man didn't even tell them where it was they were going and how they were supposed to find his son. She would be okay if she was by herself, but taking Henry with her brings the word 'worry' to a whole new level. ''We still have a few hours, what do you want to do?'' she asks Henry.
''Shall I make you something to eat for the road?'' asks Snow, seeking for distraction.
''That would be nice, thanks.'' Emma has never been an excellent chef and doesn't really trust her own cooking skills.
''Shouldn't you go get some sleep?'' asks Charming to Emma. ''You haven't slept the whole night and will be out and about soon.''
''Even if I wanted to, I don't think I can David, but thanks for your concern.''
Snow is kind of relieved with the answer. This way she can spend a little more time with her daughter.
''Can't we just sit together and watch a movie or something?'' asks Henry. He's nervous about the trip with Mr Gold as well, but there is also that sense of adventure that has always been his main driver.
''Let's do that,'' agrees Emma.
After a short look in the limited DVD collection – with DVDs mostly from Emma – they decide to watch a comedy, which is the only genre they all can handle right now.
Of course there is no-one who can really focus on the movie, with all that is going on. But Henry has snuggled in between his grandparents and halfway the movie, his eyes fall closed as his head leans on his grandfather's arm. He couldn't sleep at all last night since he was all by himself with no idea when his mother and grandparents would be back.
Emma decides this is the right moment to discuss everything with her parents. ''So while we're gone you take care of all the sheriff business around town?'' She asks her father.
''Yes, don't worry about that. I've enough help from our friends and finding Cora is priority number one at the moment.''
''Good. Mary Margaret, can I ask you to keep an eye on Belle? Make sure that nothing happens to her?'' Without waiting for a response, her attention shifts back to her father. ''And I want constant surveillance in Hook's room, 24/7. Make sure he doesn't leave his hospital room, ever. I'll deal with him when I get back.''
''Let us worry about these cases Emma, you worry about the task that you have to fulfill,'' Charming says.
''And Emma,'' Snow suddenly grasps her daughter's hands, ''be careful okay?'' her eyes are full of concern.
''I won't do anything that you wouldn't do,'' Emma says with a grin, knowing that Snow has done several things that don't belong to the category 'careful.'
''Emma, I'm serious! I don't want you or Henry to get hurt.''
''I know, and we will, be careful I mean.''
The door swings open, just like hours ago, and Rumplestiltskin enters the apartment once again. ''So, are you ready?'' he asks Emma.
''Yes, we are ready,'' replies Emma with extra emphasis on the word we.
''What do you mean, we?!''
''Henry is coming with us.''
Thanks for reading. Ok, what do you guys think? Is it worthy to write another chapter or shall I leave it with a one-shot? Hope to receive your feedback! Thanks so much!